Ottawa Food Bank Network - Co-Design of Shared Values, Roles & Roadmap For the Next 5 Years
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Ottawa Food Bank Network
Co-Design of Shared Values, Roles & Roadmap
For the Next 5 Years
SEPTEMBER 2021
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 1
In this Report
Overview of the Community Co-Design ...................................................................................................... 5
Current Experiences with Community Food Banks ..................................................................................... 6
Network Values ............................................................................................................................................ 9
Roles & Responsibilities ............................................................................................................................. 10
Areas of Shared Responsibility & Collaboration ....................................................................................... 14
1) Applying Consistency & Standards of Service ................................................................................. 16
2) Re-Designed Service Models (Choice, Catchments, Reducing Barriers) ......................................... 17
3) Network Collaboration & Learning ................................................................................................. 18
2) Healthy & Nutritious Food Distribution .......................................................................................... 19
3) Access To Adequate Spaces & Locations ........................................................................................ 20
4) Wrap-Around Supports & Referrals ................................................................................................ 21
5) Addressing Food Insecurity ............................................................................................................. 22
6) Planning For Emergency Response ................................................................................................. 23
Proposed Next Steps .................................................................................................................................. 24
Appendix A: Letter of Response from the Ottawa Food Bank………………………………………………………………27
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 2
Background
The Ottawa Food Bank consists of a network of
26 Community Food Banks and 112 member
agencies who work together to address food
insecurity. The network has demonstrated,
especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, that
member agencies have significant strengths and OTTAWA FOOD BANK NETWORK AGENCY CATEGORIES
an ability to adapt and collaborate to effectively
meet the needs of the community.
There are also some identifiable differences in
how Community Food Banks are operating and
the resources available to them, resulting in
inequitable service delivery across Ottawa. The
Ottawa Food Bank is committed to improving
the capacity of the network to deliver services
equitably across the city so that together we
can:
• Improve the overall well-being of people s
accessing food banks.
• Provide a more equitable and dignified
experience at all access points.
• Be more accountable to food bank visitors,
participating agencies, and donors/funders. *Recently designated by the Ottawa Food Bank for the purpose of
the COVID-19 pandemic.
To do this, the Ottawa Food Bank has created a
network development plan that includes three
phases:
1. A Member Asset Inventory (completed December 2020)
2. A Community Co-design process which includes the voices of:
• People with Lived experience of food insecurity and accessing food banks
• Ottawa Food Bank member agencies – Community and Emergency Food Banks
• Community stakeholders (including other Ottawa Food Bank member agencies, the City of
Ottawa, members of the Human Needs Task Force, and other food security organizations)
3. A Capacity-Building Phase which will look at implementing the results of the Community Co-Design
and improving the capacity of the Ottawa Food Bank network to provide equitable services and
supports across the City of Ottawa.
This summary report includes the outputs from Phase 2: The Community Co-design.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 3
Thank you to all who have participated in this Co-Design process
THE ALLIANCE TO END HOMELESSNESS EXPERT IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDERS
STEERING TEAM
This team brings their lived experience, strengths, Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa
expertise and skills to the sector in order to prevent Basic Income Canada Network Advisory
reduce and end homelessness. Bruce House
COMMUNITY AND EMERGENCY FOOD BANKS Carlington Community Health Centre
Causeway Work Centre
Banff Avenue Community House City of Ottawa
Blair Court Community House Community Food Centres Canada
Caldwell Family Centre Elizabeth Wynn Wood Alternate Program (Ottawa
Care Centre Ottawa Emergency Food Bank Carleton District School Board)
Centretown Emergency Food Centre Food Banks Canada
Community Compassion Centre Food for Thought Cafe
Confederation Court Community House Just Food
Dalhousie Food Cupboard Maple Leaf Centre for Action on Food Security
Debra Dynes Family House Nutrition Blocs
Foster Farm Community House Office of City of Ottawa Councillor Keith Egli
Gloucester Emergency Food Cupboard Office of City of Ottawa Councillor Mathieu Fleury
Heron Emergency Food Cupboard Ottawa Cares
Life Centre Food Bank Ottawa Coalition of Community Health and Resource
Lowertown Community House Centres
Orleans-Cumberland Food Bank Ottawa Coalition of Community Houses
Ottawa Booth Centre- Emergency Food Bank Ottawa Community Foundation
Parkdale Food Centre Ottawa Community Housing
Partage Vanier Ottawa Food Bank Staff and Board Members
Pavilion Food Bank Ottawa Innercity Ministries
Morrison Gardens Community House Ottawa Neighbourhood Study
Pinecrest Terrace Community House Pinecrest-Queensway Community Health Centre
Rideau Rockcliffe Food Bank Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre
Sadaqa Emergency Food Bank Salvation Army - Bethany Hope Centre
Salvation Army-Booth Centre Sandy Hill Community Health Centre
Westboro Regional Food Bank Social Planning Council of Ottawa
Somerset West Community Health Centre
Special thanks to Benita Arora, Gail Gallagher, South-East Ottawa Community Health Centre
Sean LeBlanc, Sophia Kelly-Langer, and Suzanne United Way East Ontario
Gregoire for their contributions
Western Ottawa Community Resource Centre
This Co-Design process was hosted by the Ottawa Food Bank and facilitated by the Tamarack Institute.
This report was created by the Tamarack Institute based on contributions from the sessions.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 4
Overview of the Community Co-Design
The co-design process was convened from June-July 2021 and included representatives from 24
Community and Emergency Food Banks, 8 members of the Expert Steering Team who bring lived
experience of food insecurity, and 59 community stakeholders.
The design question central to all conversations was: How can the Ottawa Food Bank and the
Community and Emergency Food Banks work better together to address food insecurity over the next
5-10 years?
The goals of the co-design were to:
• Align and build equity between the food banks by developing shared values.
• Develop clear roles for the Ottawa Food Bank and the network.
• Create a roadmap and prioritize action items which need to be built upon over the next 3-5
years.
Sessions were facilitated by the Tamarack Institute and hosted virtually on the Zoom platform together
with a virtual whiteboard platform—Mural—for visual collaboration.
Co-Design process overview:
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 5
Current Experiences with Community Food Banks
KEY INPUT | EXPERT STEERING TEAM
This co-design process began by learning from the Expert Steering Team—a group convened by the
Alliance to End Homelessness and made up of 8 community leaders with lived and living experience of
food insecurity, who work together to bring their knowledge, strengths, and skills to inform policy and
process development.
Through group discussion, the Expert Steering Team shared about their experiences and hopes for the
future: How are Ottawa’s food banks responding to food insecurity? What’s working? What are the
gaps? When you think of people who face food insecurity now or in the future, what are your hopes for
how things could be improved? How can the network of food banks best support people who are
experiencing food insecurity? How might we “better the system”?
These discussions were held in the spirit of a brainstorm to inform the Co-Design. In a follow up session,
we discussed how people with lived and living experiences of food insecurity should be meaningfully
engaged by the network as this work advances.
The following is a summary of their collective responses:
CURRENT STATE DESIRED STATE
Issues with locations / distribution of food banks Equitable geographic distribution of quality food
• The fresher food products, well-resourced food banks
banks with quality options are not located in the • Food quantity and quality adapted to local needs
most food insecure areas. • Better distribution of food banks across
• In some neighborhoods, food banks cannot meet neighbourhoods
all the local needs. • Minimum standards for all food banks across the
• Catchment areas restrict people from getting all
network
the food they need.
• No catchment areas to meet needs
There is a mismatch between what is offered and the Service provision based on local needs
local needs in specific areas. assessment, choice models, and considering
• Some food banks don’t offer choices; need to specific needs
provide more healthy options. • The choice model seen as important and more
• There are discrepancies between food banks. dignified
• There is a need to meet specific dietary needs • Equal opportunities for all city wide
and to access culturally appropriate foods. • Similar standards of quality and control applied
• Food sovereignty of Indigenous people and the • Fresh food always as an option regardless of
right to have access to sustainable food are district
threatened in urban areas. Special attention • Individual or family specific needs taken into
needs to be paid to women. account (dietary needs and health conditions,
culturally appropriate foods)
• An Indigenous perspective included into food
practices
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 6
Barriers to access food banks Equitable access to food banks and delivery options
• Accessing food banks via public transportation • Proximity and location are important
can be challenging. • Equal opportunities for delivery options
• Delivery options are only available in certain • Universal accessibility / flexible hours of
neighborhoods. operations
• Barriers exist that limit food bank use (hours of • Appointment system and privacy are appreciated
operation, accessibility, queuing, confidentiality)
Charitable mindset & lack of inclusion Increased social inclusion and representation
• Staff and volunteers mostly plan and structure • Involve diverse people in meaningful ways
the services; people with living or lived • Staff and volunteers should be representative of
experience could contribute. the community they serve
• There is a disconnect between the people who • Feeling safe and included
give and those who receive (e.g., charitable). • Having clear reporting mechanisms if a situation
• Food banks’ staff and volunteers are not arises
representative of all diversities (e.g., faith-based
food banks).
• Recording mechanisms do not always feel safe.
• Special attention needs to be paid to women.
Gaps in information Raising awareness and communication
• People mostly hear of food banks by word of • Maps with locations, postings, social media, etc.
mouth; some people don’t know where to go for to raise awareness (including youth)
help (e.g., youth). • Clarity of information on what services are
• Food banks seem to work in silos; need for offered
support at the point of access. • Regular communication between food banks
• The onus is felt to be on the person accessing • Local coordinator knowledgeable of alternatives
services to know what’s available.
Supports seem disconnected Become a referral network and develop more
• Problems are related (e.g., food insecurity and diversified partnerships
homelessness) but services are not connected • Food banks play a role in social inclusion:
and streamlined. There is a need for a more providing help to navigate other local support
holistic approach. resources is important.
• When food banks are embedded in a Community • Someone dedicated to support and referrals
Resource Centre or when support services are • “No need to be an expert, just making the right
available, support goes beyond just food. connections”
• Indigenous population’s needs are not being met • Partnerships with a network of resources,
across the city in culturally appropriate ways. including Indigenous centers
• In faith-based food banks, there is the perception • Identical list for referral across all food banks
of judgment on behaviors that might not fit the • Get involved in poverty advocacy work: food bank
beliefs (e.g., sex workers) use is a consequence of poverty.
• The root causes of food insecurity are not
addressed by food banks.
Limited options Secure alternatives to food bank products
• Not everyone has access to facilities to cook and • Meal programs / prepared food options
store food (e.g., fridges, freezers, stoves). • Grocery gift cards as a supplement
• Not enough access to meal programs. • Partnering with local gardens, farmers and fresh
• Little access to fresh food. fruit and veggie trucks
• Not everyone has the ability to cook healthy • Partnering with community kitchens
food.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 7
KEY INPUT | MEMBER ASSET INVENTORY
The Co-Design was also grounded in a Member Asset Inventory, which sought to understand the current
state of each Community and Emergency Food Banks’ capacity, where the strengths and challenges lie in
the network, hear agency priorities and needs, and what role the network wants the Ottawa Food Bank
to play in developing capacity. For context, the Member Asset Inventory was completed between
March-September 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AREAS OF IMPORTANCE TO INDIVIDUAL AGENCIES IN FUTURE PLANNING
Client Services- Food Safety- Location and Food
improving internal resources Physical Assets Distribution
87.5% 70.83% 62.5% 62.5%
Nutrition Innovation and Governance Food and Collaboration
58% Planning 50% Fundraising and Advocacy
54% 37.5% 33.3%
STRENGTHS OF COMMUNITY FOOD BANKS CHALLENGES OF COMMUNITY FOOD BANKS
Concerns about the effectiveness of food
Common mission to serve the community
banks (chronic use)
Openness to change and increasing
Concerns about the existing catchment system
capacity if required
Creativity and resiliency with limited Need for clarity in roles
resources
Capacity to leverage a city-wide approach Variability of agency resources and equity in
and recognizable network to meet needs service delivery models
Based on these current experiences of being food insecure and responding to food insecurity, Community
and Emergency Food Bank members co-designed the following:
1. Values, Actions, and Principles (page 9)
2. Roles and Responsibilities (pages 10-14)
3. Areas of Collaboration (pages 15-23)
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 8
Network Values
OTTAWA FOOD BANK NETWORK | OUR SHARED VALUES
Equitable Accessible Collaborative Responsive Holistic
We seek to provide We are committed We want We want to We want to use a
healthy and and want to be as experiences at food understand the system-lens, look
nutritious food in a accommodating as banks to be unified, needs of food bank to the social
way that is dignified, possible. This united, and aligned. users and adapt our determinants of
culturally means providing To do this we need supports in response. health, and be a
appropriate, and ease of service and to communicate well We want to be resource for
empowers those reducing barriers. and we need to work known as flexible, transformation.
who access food together. innovative, and
banks. action oriented.
To live out these values we strive to:
• Provide nutritious • Explore solutions • Work together to • Understand the • Be a front door to
& healthy food to make sites understand and needs of people access other
respectful of geographically support clients’ accessing food supports and
cultural & religious and physically needs banks through services
diets accessible • Increase needs assessments • Collaborate with
• Offer choice as • Offer privacy & communication and • Provide orientation organizations,
much as possible ease to clients collaboration and training to staff government, and
• Provide sufficient (e.g., between food and volunteers businesses
amounts of food appointments - banks • Increase • Engage in
reduce waiting • Redesign the representation of advocacy work
• Consider
lines, hours of catchment system the community (e.g. poverty,
alternatives to
operation) served in staff and root-causes of
meet needs (e.g. • Balance consistency
gift cards) • Ensure safety for and alignment with volunteers food insecurity)
staff and clients autonomy of • Secure funding to
• Define a set of
standards for client • Upgrade physical agencies respond to
service assets and challenges and
facilities opportunities
To be successful we know we need to:
• Work collaboratively – for agencies and Ottawa Food Bank to provide each other with input, insights,
ideas, and share resources
• Ensure our work is centered on lived experience from people and agencies
• Seek the balance between shared standards and autonomy of agencies
• Leverage the strengths of being a network
• Involve relevant external stakeholders to share the responsibilities
• Encourage innovative problem-solving and to “think out of the box”
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 9Roles & Responsibilities
To develop clear roles for Ottawa Food Bank and Community and Emergency Food Banks, the Co-Design
Team was asked: How do we live out these shared values? Who is responsible for each action? What
should our respective roles and responsibilities be? An Asset Based Community Development process
was used by asking – what can we do for ourselves, what do we need support with, and what do we
need someone else to lead?
The following is an overview of the suggested areas of responsibility with detail on the following pages:
Community &
Emergency Food Banks
• Client Services, including referrals and
partnerships to provide wrap-around supports
• Needs Assessments
• Orientation and training for staff and volunteers
• Fundraising locally
• Advocacy (certain issues)
1. Consistency &
standards of service
2. Redesigned service
models (choice,
catchments, physical
accessibility) 4. Offering healthy, External
Ottawa 3. Collaboration & nutritious,
learning across and diverse food Stakeholders
Food Bank the network 5. Access to adequate
• Food distribution spaces and locations
and nutrition • Partnerships
6. Providing wrap- around
• Communications for • Funding
supports
the network • Adequate supports
7. Addressing food
• Network data and statistics • Bringing innovative
insecurity
• Governance (guidelines and policies) solutions
• Fundraising at the
External Stakeholders include
regional / national level 8. Planning for
community agencies, public
• Broader advocacy & awareness raising emergency
services, City of Ottawa, system
• Innovation and system lens response
innovators, funders.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 10COMMUNITY & EMERGENCY FOOD BANKS: SUGGESTED AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Through group discussion, the Co-Design Team suggested the following key areas of responsibility for
Community and Emergency Food Banks. These roles, expectations, and supports will be finalized
through the process of updating the Mutual Support.
1) Client Services
• Offer front-line services to support clients
• Improve services on an ongoing basis (e.g. flexible hours of operation)
• Problem-solve around specific issues (e.g. wheelchair accessibility = delivery)
• Build trust and relationships with clients and community, creating meaningful opportunities
for engagement
• Be front-door access for services and referrals (to partner agencies or other resources)
2) Needs assessments
• Use assessment tools and templates provided by Ottawa Food Bank to assess needs
• Share findings and insights from needs assessment with Ottawa Food Bank
• Voice challenges and opportunities to Ottawa Food Bank
3) Orientation and training for staff and volunteers
• Ensure consistency of services and approaches
• Increase representation of the community served in staff and volunteers
4) Fundraising locally
• Reach out to local community to build relationships and fundraise
5) Contribute to advocacy towards:
• Basic income
• Physical accessibility
• External partnerships and relationship-building with officials
Supports members would like from Ottawa Food Bank to be successful:
• Sharing knowledge, lessons learned, tools, templates.
• Help reduce competition for funding and resources
• Funding for needs assessments; grants; support with grant writing.
• Commitment to staffing to increase our capacity to meet these needs.
• Free training
• Sharing unused food / supplies
• Utilize our community resources for wrap around approach
• Assessment tools templates.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 11OTTAWA FOOD BANK: SUGGESTED AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Through group discussion, the Co-Design Team suggested the following key areas of responsibility for
the Ottawa Food Bank. These roles, expectations, and supports will be finalized through the process of
updating the Mutual Support Agreement.
1) Food distribution and nutrition
• Provide healthy and nutritious food for all agencies (including culturally appropriate food,
food for special dietary needs and actions uncovered through the Member Asset Inventory)
• Develop partnerships to ensure fresh, healthy, and varied foods are available
• Ensure consistency of food provided across the network
• Ensure quality control before delivery (e.g., expiry)
• Establish clear communication channels with Food Banks Canada (e.g., member agencies
interact directly via Workplace)
2) Fundraising and resources
• Increase funds donated (e.g., support “outside of food” hub models in the community,
expanding services, etc.)
• Provide grants to agencies (e.g., to improve infrastructure like cold storage; implement
changes required on accessibility, etc.)
• Ensure equitable distribution of resources across the network according to needs
• Help centralize solutions and access to professional services (e.g., software for ordering and
appointments; support with Link2Feed; accounting; legal services; human resources,
legislation from CRA, etc.)
3) Advocacy and awareness-raising
• Lead broader scope non-partisan advocacy, with the lived experience knowledge at the
center and representing the collective experience of the network.
• Advocate for support from external stakeholders on accessibility.
• Advocate with the City of Ottawa for recognition of food banks as essential services and
support them accordingly.
• Build relationships at the higher level outside the network and with elected officials to
ensure food banks have a seat in key strategic conversations.
• Educate the community on food insecurity and help tell the story (e.g., needs, root causes,
interrelated issues, etc.)
• Revisit branding for the network (e.g., food bank terminology)
4) Governance
Provide guidelines, policies, set of standards or procedures on:
• Consistency of services; alignment and equity in service model (e.g. paid staff)
• Accessibility (e.g., conduct accessibility reviews and recommendations to leverage change
and obtain support)
• Update the Member Service Agreement
• Crisis response: emergency response plan, safety procedures, communication standards,
link with Ontario Public Health during COVID, etc.)
• Templates and surveys; client complaints process
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 125) Collaboration and learning across the network
• Create opportunities for connection among agencies; agencies willing to share learnings,
skills and even resources
• Facilitate knowledge sharing, peer support or mentorship
• Offer certain “central” training for staff and /or volunteers (e.g., the integrity of data and
privacy, wrap-around services, choice model, AODA, diversity, etc.)
6) Innovation and System lens
• Link with broader and global issues
• Provide a system lens and deal with system issues
• “Think outside the box”
AREAS OF SHARED RESPONSIBILITY & COLLABORATION
The following are suggested areas of shared responsibility, whereby Community and Emergency Food Banks,
Ottawa Food Bank, and External Stakeholders would collaborate to define goals, share resources, and work
together to implement solutions and improvements. For each area, leadership and involvement will be
determined by members and stakeholders based on their capacity and interest. It is suggested that these
areas of shared responsibility and collaboration are finalized and an approach for working together is
defined at the annual convening in October 2021.
1) Ensuring consistency & standards of service
• Collaboration between Food Banks and Ottawa Food Bank. Ottawa Food Bank to share best
practices; Define minimum standards of service together; Ottawa Food Bank to support capacity
building; Food Banks to ensure consistency and standards of service.
2) Redesigned service models (increasing choice, re-imagining catchments, reducing accessibility barriers)
• Collaboration between Food Banks and Ottawa Food Bank
3) Collaboration & learning across the network
• Ottawa Food Bank to take on more leadership in convening and setting up collaboration and
communication structures and processes in consultation with the network.
4) Healthy, nutritious, and diverse food distribution
• Ottawa Food Bank to lead; Food Banks to provide key inputs on purchasing plans for food,
determining amount of food provided, and communicating the needs of clients, agencies, and
communities; Partner with external stakeholders to ensure fresh, healthy, and varied foods and
alternatives are available.
5) Access to adequate spaces and locations
• Collaboration between Food Banks, Ottawa Food Bank, and External Stakeholders
Continued…
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 13
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 136) Providing wrap-around supports
• Collaboration between Food Banks, Ottawa Food Bank, and External Stakeholders
7) Addressing food insecurity
• Collaboration between Food Banks, Ottawa Food Bank, and External Stakeholders. Ottawa Food
Bank to take on more leadership.
8) Planning for emergency response
• Collaboration between Ottawa Food Bank and External Stakeholders
Through this collaborative work, it will be the responsibility of working groups to engage or involve the
necessary voices of lived and living experience, agencies, and other relevant stakeholders. An initial
brainstorm about the preferred approaches to these areas of shared responsibility and collaboration follows
on pages 15-23.
OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO SUPPORT IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS:
The Co-Design Team suggested that support is needed from other stakeholders as follows:
Community agencies and public services:
• Offer direct support to increase wrap around services (e.g., Ottawa Community Housing on
housing issues; community health workers)
• Provide referrals and on-site system navigation
• Offer training to staff and volunteers on other resources
• Support from 211 - directory of resources for referrals
• Partner with other food and delivery charities to complement services
• Make alliances with other collectives to help advocate with the network
City of Ottawa:
• Play a role in referral to other community resources and City resources
• Support to improve geographical and physical accessibility (involve Ottawa Community Housing
and other non -profit housing providers)
• Set and meet the standards for City-run facilities and City-funded organizations
• Intentionally plan for food access (e.g., food deserts and location of food banks, support for “15
minutes walkable access to food in community plans”, etc.).
• Recognize food banks as essential services and provide support and resources accordingly
• Leverage food banks infrastructure during emergency response
System innovators and businesses:
• Help the network “think outside the box”
• Apply system innovation for citywide community resources, design, creating synergy, etc.
• Facilitate tech solutions (e.g., delivery)
Funders:
• Understand and support the needs of more than just food
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 14Areas of Shared
Responsibility & Collaboration
The Co-Design Team explored key areas of shared
responsibility and collaboration to share ideas,
dream of what could be possible, and begin to
articulate what might be needed to address
challenges and work together to make it happen.
During the Stakeholder Session, those who
attended built upon the ideas of the member food
banks by responding to the questions: What are you
working on that the network should be aware of?
How can we join up resources, align programming,
seek policy change? What are the opportunities to
innovate?
Creating the structures to enable Food Banks,
Ottawa Food Bank, and Stakeholders to work
together will be an important first step to advance
the network’s priorities. The Team noted that all
areas are highly interconnected with a lot of
interdependencies. It is suggested that Ottawa Food
Bank convenes working groups for each of the key
areas of collaboration with member agencies and
stakeholders based on their desired level of
involvement:
• Core team – responsible for leadership and
planning
• Partner – stakeholders who would like to
collaborate/partner on a component of the work
• Involved – contribute to ideas, provide feedback
• Informed – not able to contribute deeply but
want to be kept informed
Working groups should use consensus-based
decision-making and involve meaningful
contribution from people with lived experience of
food insecurity.
The following is a short summary of each area of
shared responsibility and collaboration. Detailed
notes from the Co-Design sessions will be brought
forward to those who are collaborating to build
from as they develop their workplans.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 151) APPLYING CONSISTENCY & STANDARDS OF SERVICE
Why this is important The outcomes we seek:
Equity and minimum standards • A set of standards for client service is
across food banks are important to defined (e.g. paid staffing). The service
people accessing food banks. approach among staff and volunteers is
Agencies voiced concerns about the consistent. Staff and volunteers are
variability of agency resources offered orientation and training.
across the network and equity in • Guidelines are provided for
service delivery models. Our development of policies and processes
discussions highlighted the that are client / community centered.
importance of having a balance • Service delivery models are consistent
between shared standards across and equitable.
the networks and the autonomy of • Inequity between agencies is being
agencies to respond to local addressed.
differences. • Consistency and alignment are well-
balanced with autonomy of agencies.
Considerations for how we approach this work:
• Standards need to be high bar – We need to work with member agencies to figure out how to get
everyone to that level.
• We can do this by having a better understanding of existing assets and gaps across the network (i.e.
from the member asset inventory). We can then build the capacity of individual agencies based on
existing resources, capacity, and demand to meet most basic equitable standards.
• Our work should include ensuring adequately staffed food banks, having a dedicated coordinator at
each food bank, and having standards for onboarding, training, and volunteer management. A
Mutual Support Agreement with Ottawa Food Bank can be a tool to uphold standards and ensure
expectations
• Partnerships could help with consistency in areas that may be an ongoing challenge (e.g. unloading
the truck, offering varied hours of service [community fridges, etc.])
Recommendations for how we collaborate:
• This work should be done in close collaboration between Ottawa Food Bank and member agencies.
A working group should explore best practices and standards in depth and work with the network to
prioritize. Ottawa Food Bank should support agencies to ensure constant evolution and
improvement.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 162) RE-DESIGNED SERVICE MODELS (CHOICE, CATCHMENTS, REDUCING BARRIERS)
Why this is important The outcomes we seek:
The choice model is seen by people accessing food • Choice is expanded.
banks as more suited to different needs, healthier • Consistency/equity in service delivery
and more dignified. The Member Asset Inventory model is offered and inequity between
shows that 100% of agencies offer at least limited agencies is being addressed.
choice and 40% are operating a grocery style or • The catchment system is redesigned.
shopping model (pre-covid). Our discussions raised • Staff and people accessing food banks
the need to consider different agencies’ feel safe.
circumstances. • Privacy & ease to clients is offered (e.g.
People accessing food banks shared that catchments appointments, reduce waiting lines,
limit their ability to meet all their food needs. hours of operation).
Among the network’s challenges, concerns were • Availability of services is expanded
raised about the existing catchment system. 88% of (eg. delivery options).
agencies are providing flexibility to those who live • Support is offered to meet immediate
outside their catchment. Our discussions raised needs.
issues about accessibility, feasibility, planning, etc. • Language barriers are overcome.
when revisiting the catchment system. •
Our discussions brought about the multiple
dimensions of accessibility including geographical, “Just the word catchment is unfit because
physical, mental health, service hours, language, it implies that there are inequities”
equity, diversity and inclusion. – Expert Steering Team
Considerations for how we approach this work:
• Work more as a unified network – Remove the stigma and barrier attached to catchment.
• Should offer different choice models for different agencies based on space and resources. Choice
models could include – Online ordering; Shopping cart model; Appointment model to allow for more
choice and privacy; Gift cards; Token system/checkout. Choice model is possible even in a small space.
• Reduce accessibility barriers – Ensure appropriate signage is visible and inclusive; Increase weekend
and evening hours, Have a coordinator within all agencies.
• Communicate shared values and principles to change public perception – movement from service
mindset to dignity mindset. Consider a name change – does Food Bank really promote what we are
and what we provide?
• Use a data-driven approach to understand current situation (data from Link2Feed), what level of
support is required, and what adjustments are needed.
Recommendations for how we collaborate:
• Ottawa Food Bank to provide leadership and work in close collaboration with all members. Start by
engaging early on (focus group) to understand needs.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 173) NETWORK COLLABORATION & LEARNING
Why this is important The outcomes we seek:
Our discussions showed the need to • Communication is increased
create more opportunities for connection between food banks.
among agencies (knowledge sharing, • Knowledge is shared across the
peer support or mentorship) and the network.
willingness of agencies to share • The needs of people accessing food
learnings, skills, and even resources. banks are understood by working
Agencies identified as a strength their together (e.g. through use of
capacity to leverage a city-wide approach Link2feed).
and recognizable network to meet needs. • More opportunities are created to
network together/build
relationships.
“Supports feel stuck at the point of access”
– Expert Steering Team
Considerations for how we approach this work:
• Sharing best practices and things that are working well (service models, distribution, health and
safety, volunteer management/recruitment, etc.)
• Experiential learning – More experienced coordinators mentoring new coordinators. Opportunities
for coordinators to volunteer at other organizations (food bank or other types of programs) to learn
hands-on different ways of doing things. Open house opportunities to visit other food banks.
• Needs assessment (eg Member Asset Inventory) should be done regularly as circumstances evolve in
food banks. Training, grants, etc. should be included in the needs assessment (covering operations
and information).
Recommendations for how we collaborate:
• Ottawa Food Bank should lead as the backbone – gathering the network and facilitating learning and
sharing. Agencies don't have the capacity.
• Setting up a network table which reflects a collaborative approach (possibly rotating roles etc).
• Developing subcommittees which will take on pieces of work related to the co-design workplan
• Shift role of the regional meetings to focus on these areas of collaboration and do some of the work
outlined in this Co-Design.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 184) HEALTHY & NUTRITIOUS FOOD DISTRIBUTION
•
Why this is important The outcomes we seek:
People who access food banks expressed the need • All people accessing food banks have
for fresh and nutritious food, and access to diverse nutritious and healthy food.
foods, regardless of geography. • Agencies can provide a sufficient amount
The majority of agencies identified challenges of food (e.g. per day, per member of
providing and meeting specific health, cultural and household).
religious food needs on a consistent basis and 72% • Food is available for health, cultural, and
run out of “staple” fresh items on a regular basis. religious diets.
Our discussions raised the importance of • People who don’t have access to
collaboration between agencies and Ottawa Food kitchens are supported.
Bank to provide healthy and nutritious food,
determining the amount of food provided and “Teaching how to cook won’t
prioritizing the needs of people and communities. always solve it”
– Expert Steering Team
Considerations for how we approach this work:
• Find ways to ensure that people have access to the kinds of food that they want and can use across
the network.
• Expand access to culturally relevant foods – leverage shared purchasing power, longer-term grants.
• Consider alternatives to meet needs (e.g. gift cards). Consider models such as coop, non-profit
grocery stores, and social enterprise to make food accessible, sustainable, and dignified.
• Increase partnerships to grow healthy food in neighbourhoods – community gardens, greenhouses,
front yards, urban farming partnerships, edible forests, etc.
• Participate in efforts to divert food waste at different levels.
• Intentionally plan for food access at the City level – Where are there food deserts? What is available
in grocery stores – availability of healthy foods; staple foods; costs etc.? Align with Ottawa Public
Health’s “City Wide Healthy Goals” (once established).
• Explore ways to bring healthy food to people – mobile food trucks and markets, pop-ups at seniors
buildings, on-site chefs to support prepared and shared meals, meal kits with recipes, etc.
• Increase food literacy – provide resources in multiple languages.
• Continue to work on Ottawa Food Strategy towards policy change. Need a shared philosophy
recognizing that food is a human right and that this is not just an emergency response. Establish a
healthy food policy which can help guide donors in terms of what is needed.
Recommendations for how we collaborate:
• Ottawa Food Bank should lead efforts to ensure healthy and nutritious food distribution (see page
12). Work to improve processes should be done in close collaboration between Ottawa Food Bank,
agencies, stakeholders, and people with lived and living experience of food insecurity.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 195) ACCESS TO ADEQUATE SPACES & LOCATIONS
Why this is important The outcomes we seek:
Proximity and location are important to people • Strategies are implemented to make
accessing food banks. sites geographically and physically
accessible (e.g. involving other
Agencies raised numerous challenges related to stakeholders).
their current space, 64% of food banks are not • Physical assets and facilities are
located in spaces that are fully physically upgraded.
accessible. • Additional funding is secured.
This is a significant challenge and will require
capital funding, longer-term vision and leadership
from Ottawa Food Bank, and for external
stakeholders need to be involved in this issue.
Considerations for how we approach this work:
• Use a combination of centralized, decentralized, and hybrid models (Hub and spoke model). Needs
are different in each neighbourhood. The processes to access food need to be accessible.
• For centralized – Ensure proximal locations for clients, parking and bus access. We need purposely
designed spaces located in the area the clients live.
• For decentralized – Expand food cupboards, leverage other network distribution collaborations.
• Development of accessibility plans for each agency which would include what they have, what they
envision doing, and how they might get there or adapt. City of Ottawa, non-profit housing providers,
and Province could support improving physical accessibility.
• Advocate to key stakeholders to get the appropriate buildings for the appropriate programming.
Need the City of Ottawa to set and meet standards for city run facilities as well as City funded
organizations. Explore different points of access for locations that do not meet accessibility
standards – online, delivery, mobile food bank, etc. Leverage private sector support and solutions.
• Leverage existing resources, partners, and networks before investing in space/infrastructure.
• Connect with ethnocultural groups or faith groups to partner and gain space, language
interpretation, share information, and be part of accessibility planning.
• Language is important – use "universal access" to focus on equity instead of targeting others as
needing different allowances.
Recommendations for how we collaborate:
• Form a working group with Ottawa Food Bank, interested members, and key stakeholders.
• Ottawa Food Bank to help on grant writing and identifying grants for smaller organizations (eg.
Accessibility, and covid-response grants). Coordinate funding efforts and explore one application for
all food banks instead of multiple grant applications.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 206) WRAP-AROUND SUPPORTS & REFERRALS
Why this is important The outcomes we seek:
Food banks play a role in social inclusion, • People accessing food banks are
providing help to navigate other local meaningfully engaged.
support resources. Individual agencies • Food banks are a front door to access
struggle with the lack of other services other supports and services.
available (wrap around). • People are connected with resources
Our discussions pointed to the opportunity and supports including follow up.
for food banks to be a front door to access • Staff are trained to be able to offer
other supports and services and the need for holistic services or to provide a bridge
a more holistic approach. to those services.
• Collaborations are formed with other
organizations and businesses.
“Who’s making sure that this homeless • Information and resources are shared
family that come to the food bank will not across the network.
be homeless the next time they come?”
– Expert Steering Team
Considerations for how we approach this work:
• Shift the thinking to wrap-around service which also offers food rather than foodbanks which offer
wrap around services (eg. harm reduction sites offering quality food).
• Expand the health and resource centre model – current agencies become places for other supports.
• For agencies without resources to be referral channels.
• Service navigation – Better integrate service supports, move between programs, remove roadblocks.
Embed intake processes in other agencies, where people are already comfortable. Meet people
where they are at. Holistic approach – name and faces!
• Peer-led advocacy – Set up a group on peer advocacy.
• Transformation – Redesign of city service to be available/accessible; move to full social service
system to reboot alignment; Most organizations are going through a review – a partnership model is
an opportunity to realign or newly align information and service delivery; Create eco-system of data
by integrating databases.
• Learn from research and other geographies; pilot promising wrap-around supports.
Recommendations for how we collaborate:
• Requires strong collaboration and shared leadership between food banks, Ottawa Food Bank, and
stakeholders. Partner to pilot initiatives. Collaborate on key components such as peer advocacy and
service navigation.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 217) ADDRESSING FOOD INSECURITY
Why this is important The outcomes we seek:
Research shows that food bank use is a • Poverty is reduced through systems
consequence of poverty. Food bank use is changes.
chronic and food banks are not used for • Community-wide awareness is built around
emergencies only. In the Ottawa region, food insecurity and its root causes.
people too often need to choose between • Strong advocacy for Universal Basic Income
paying the rising cost of rent or eating. (UBI); Responding to food deserts; Living
Wage; Housing.
There is an opportunity for food banks to be
involved in work to address food insecurity.
Considerations for how we approach this work:
• Lead broader scope non-partisan advocacy, with the lived experience knowledge at the center and
representing the collective experience of the network.
• Create a distinct position around food as a human right. Charity is not the way forward. Charity is
not a substitute for income stabilization. Shift away from emergency food services to long-term,
more holistic, community-wide strategies to address the root causes of food insecurity.
• Set a community agenda for poverty reduction. Need context and data to focus on root causes.
• Addressing some of the root causes of poverty including the lack of affordable housing, affordable
public transit, and public services. Promoting decent work by adopting a living wage policy and not
offering tax breaks to employers who pay less than a living wage. And advocating for provincial and
federal governments to implement a basic income.
• Build the case for municipal buy in and benefit. Municipality to call on provincial and federal
governments for change. Political pressure for housing and food security policies.
• Educate the community on food insecurity and help tell the story (e.g., needs, root causes,
interrelated issues, etc.)
Recommendations for how we collaborate:
• The Ottawa Food Bank should play a leadership role, build up the backbone capacity – Collaborate
with existing partners and anchor organizations, stakeholders, lived/living experience, and food
banks; convene; make connections. Form working groups. Gather information on areas of advocacy
that is of importance to the network and a plan or approach to how they will be addressed
• Link strategies – Work with all levels of government; Housing strategy and income stability;
Community Development.
• Build relationships at the higher level outside the network and with elected officials to ensure food
banks have a seat in key strategic conversations. Make alliances with other collectives to help
advocate with the network.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 228) PLANNING FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Why this is important The outcomes we seek:
Community members rely on food banks in
• Food is included in the City's emergency
emergency situations and food banks are a
response plan.
trusted source for information (e.g. vaccine
• Food banks' infrastructure is leveraged
info).
during emergency response.
There is a missed opportunity for the City to • Food banks are recognized as an
leverage food banks' infrastructure and essential service and supported
position in community for things like accordingly.
emergency response.
Considerations for how we approach this work:
• Deepen understanding of impact of pulling food banks into emergency response.
• There is an opportunity to re-examine food distribution in next phase of pandemic – further
collaboration/communication between food cupboards and other food security programs.
• Share policies and procedures developed during pandemic to be applied to future emergency
planning. Learn from other communities to support emergency food planning locally.
• Need a system of communication to ensure flow of information between clients and food security
service providers. Ensure information and resources gets down the chain to food banks and other
food security networks.
• New actors entering food system in an emergency situation need to be coordinated to ensure they
are participating in existing system.
• Work on having flexibility from funders and support from provincial and federal employment
programs to support staffing increases in emergencies. Ottawa Food Bank could offer HR/admin
support to smaller agencies to be able to hire/retain staff more easily.
• Food Banks can be community hub that will stay open during an emergency.
Recommendations for how we collaborate:
• Ottawa Food Bank to lead – Ottawa Food Bank becomes a connector/coordinator of various food-
related actors in emergency response, ensuring that responses are coordinated and quick. Partner
with key stakeholders.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 23Proposed Next Steps
The Community Co-Design is the start of a commitment to align the work of the Ottawa Food Bank
Network to create a more equitable ecosystem to support people who are facing food insecurity. It is
our hope that by creating shared values, clarifying roles, and defining areas of collaboration and a
roadmap, that we will be able leverage the strengths of this network to create tangible change.
The following proposed next steps will help to make the conversations that happened throughout this
co-design a reality:
Communication and sharing
1
Ottawa Food Bank will play a role in sharing out this Community Co-
design summary, getting feedback, and ensuring that member agencies
feel represented and aligned with the shared direction of the network.
• Final Co-Design Report shared by September 1, 2021.
• Member agencies will provide feedback until September 17, 2021.
• This process and updates to the network will be shared at the
annual Ottawa Food Security Conference October 20, 2021.
• The Ottawa Food Bank will share the process experience and results
with other tables or community groups upon request
Finalizing the recommendations from the co-design process
2
Over the coming months, the recommendations that emerged from this
co-design process will be finalized by confirming which key documents
will guide their shared work and how and when these documents will
be created and/or updated. Key documents will likely include:
• Proposed network structure – The Ottawa Food Bank team will be
convening the network in October 2021 during which they will
discuss a structure for how the Ottawa Food Bank and the network
work together. The new collaborative structure will be presented to
the network by November 2021 and in place for January 2022.
• New Member Service Agreement – for the 2022 year will be
reviewed and if required updated annually to include emerging
recommendations.
• Needs Assessments – A network-wide needs assessment will be
conducted in 2022 and annually throughout this process.
All of these documents and processes will be developed in collaboration
with members.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 24Capacity-Building Phase for Member Agencies
3
Ottawa Food Bank will use the findings from the Member Asset
Inventory and the Community Co-Design to develop a capacity-building
strategy with opportunities for individual agencies and the network
over the next 5 years. This strategy will inform key activities for 2022-
2027 and it is suggested that it be reviewed annually and in
collaboration with members and other stakeholders.
The Ottawa Food Bank has developed a network training plan for the
next year which launches in October 2021. The focus will be on health
and safety, volunteer management, mental health, privacy and
confidentiality, poverty reduction and inclusion and diversity training.
Opportunities will be available to member agencies throughout the
year and will be communicated through the OFB Facebook Workplace
site and email. Planning for 2022-2023 will be heavily influenced by the
recommendation of the Co-Design process and the working groups.
Advancing collaborative work
4
Through this co-design process, the network shared that they would
like Ottawa Food Bank to lead Collaboration & Learning – helping
member agencies to communicate, connect, share learnings, and work
together.
A new collaborative working structure will be proposed to the network
by November 2021 and in place for January 2022. Following the
October 2021 convening, working groups will be established to guide
collaborative work forward. All agencies and stakeholders will be
invited to define/re-define their desired role and involvement in the
network steering team and working groups.
Engagement of people with lived experience
The Expert Steering Team expressed a need for people with lived and living experience of food
insecurity to be meaningfully engaged in all network priorities. At the beginning of their work together,
each working group should determine how they will be engaging people with lived experience. For some
groups, it may be inviting people with lived experience of food insecurity to be part of the core team.
For other working groups, it may mean involving people with lived experience at certain points in their
collaborative work.
The Expert Steering Team shared recommendations for what meaningful engagement would look like:
• Non-tokenistic and not achieved through a checkbox
• Ability to truly influence or change the system
• Being included in the process before the decisions are made – from the beginning to the very
end of the process.
OTTAWA FOOD BANK | COMMUNITY CO-DESIGN 25You can also read
